Life by Design

The Natural History Museum is probably one of the most beautiful museum campuses in Los Angeles. In existence for 100 years now, the museum has welcomed its centennial year with many wonderful upgrades that are just drawing to a close. Their gardens are particularly eye-opening. It's worth the price of admission just to spend some time in their gardens.

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Designed by CO Architects, the Natural History Museum's Otis Booth Pavilion is a six-story glass entrance space that re-orients the museum toward L.A.'s Exposition Boulevard, a new light rail line, and, more importantly, a flourishing greenscape in a former parking lot.

A re-invigorated Natural History Museum (NHM) of Los Angeles County will welcome the public this weekend in celebration of its centennial year and the two newest elements of its $135 million, 12-year overhaul. Taking a cue from the city’s modernist architecture, the museum blurs the line between indoors and out with the debut of the Otis Booth Pavilion and a 3.5-acre “Nature Garden.” The final two pieces of the museum’s transformation—a new 14,000-square-foot permanent exhibition space and renovated galleries for temporary exhibitions—will be complete later this year. [read more]